Tourism in Chile

Tourism in Chile has experienced sustained growth over the last few decades. Chile received about 2.25 million foreign visitors in 2006.cite web |url=http://www.ine.cl/canales/chile_estadistico/estadisticas_economicas/turismo/infoanual/informesanuales.php |title=2006 Tourism Report |accessdate=2008-08-05 |work= |publisher=INE |date= ] The percentages of foreign tourists arrivals by land, air and sea were, respectively, 55.3%, 40.5% and 4.2% for that year. The two main gateways for international tourists visiting Chile are Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport and Paso Los Libertadores.

Chile boasts a great diversity of natural landscapes, from the Mars-like landscapes of the hyperarid Atacama Desert to the glacier-fed fjords of the Chilean Patagonia, passing by the winelands backdropped by the Andes of the Central Valley and the old-growth forests of the Lakes District. On the top of that is the magical Easter Island.

Many of the most visited attractions in Chile are protected areas. The extensive Chilean protected areas system includes 32 national parks, 48 natural reserves and 15 natural monuments.

Norte Grande

Atacama Desert, which has been inhabited for several thousand years, makes up the main portion of Norte Grande. A myriad of geoglyphs, petroglyphs and pictographs attest the presence of ancient cultures in the area. Among the most remarkable are those of Azapa Valley, Lluta Valley, the Atacama Giant and Pintados Geoglyphs, these latter are protected within Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserve. R. P. Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum and Archaeological Museum of San Miguel de Azapa are home to the most important collections of artifacts and mummies in Chile, including the famous Chinchorro mummies, the oldest mummies in the world. The extreme aridity of the Atacama has been a key factor in the preservation of such archaeological remains.

Arica is a coastal city with beautiful beaches and is also a starting point for travelers heading east to Putre for enjoying the majestic Puna landscape of Lauca National Park. Southward from Lauca, Volcán Isluga National Park includes ceremonial sites for the Aymara people.Inland from Iquique, the desolate pampas are home to a few scattered towns and villages. Among those, the most interesting is the ghost town of Humberstone. In this area the tamarugo forests of the Pampa del Tamarugal break the barren monotony of the landscape.The altiplano of Norte Grande has a wide variety of natural scenery including salt flats, volcanoes, lakes and geysers. San Pedro de Atacama and surrounding area offer one of most spectacular combinations of archeology and awe-inspiring natural sights. San Pedro was the cradle of the Atacameño Culture. Villages with interesting cultural past are Caspana, Toconao, Socaire and Chiu Chiu. Notable are also the pre-Hispanic fortresses of Quitor, Lasana and Turi. Two popular destinations in this area are Valley of the Moon, so-named because its landscape resembles the moon, and El Tatio Geysers.

Antofagasta is the largest city in Norte Grande. La Portada, a stunning natural arch, is located a short drive from Antofagasta.

Pan de Azúcar National Park is a park where sea and desert meet.

Norte Chico

The Andes of Norte Chico are home to many of the highest volcanoes in the world, the highlight being Ojos del Salado. Apart from Ojos del Salado and the rest of the volcanoes, attractions in this portion of the Andes include Nevado Tres Cruces National Park and Laguna Verde.

Norte Chico boasts some of the best beaches and coastal resorts in the country, such as Bahía Inglesa and those of La Serena.

The clear skies of Norte Chico and its infrastructure are ideal for Astronomical Tourism.

Elqui Valley is a popular destination. Here, the dazzling green of the valley floor contrasts nicely with the barren brown slopes of the mountains that flank it.

Zona Central

Wine tourism is common in Zona Central. The Wine Routes of the valleys of Casablanca and Colchagua are some of the finest tours in Chile. Central Valley is the Huaso Land by antonomasia.

The surroundings of Santiago include several attractions, such as the Cajón del Maipo, Pomaire, and the oldest vineyards in the country.

This zone is home to the main ski resorts in Chile, which attract a significative number of tourists from the Northern Hemisphere because the reversed alpine skiing season. They are Portillo, Valle Nevado and Termas de Chillán.

Valparaíso is a wonderful, amphitheater-shaped city, whose historic quarter has been recognized as a World Heritage Site. Its neighboring city, Viña del Mar, attracts a large number of foreign tourists, particularly from Argentina.

Pichilemu is reputed to have the best beaches for surfing in Chile. Other tourist sites include Sewell, Radal Siete Tazas National Reserve, and Laguna del Laja National Park.

Zona Sur

Araucanía Region is the heartland of the Mapuche people. This area exhibits an incipient development of Indigenous tourism.

Conguillío National Park, is perhaps where the Araucaria forests are at their most beautiful.

The Lake District is characterized by piedmont lakes crowned by snowcapped volcanoes, whose lower flanks are covered with lush forests of native trees. Lovely towns and villages dot the lakesides, chiefly Pucón, Villarrica, Frutillar and Puerto Varas. Puerto Montt is the tourist hub of the region.

The most visited national parks include Puyehue National Park and Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, the latter is Chile's oldest national park.

Valdivia is one of Chile's most beautiful cities, recognition received mainly because of its lush natural surrounding. South from the city lies the colonial Valdivian Fort System.

The almost perfect cone of Osorno Volcano is an iconic landmark in the region. Alike Villarrica Volcano, which is one of the few volcanoes in the world that have an active Lava lake.

As an added bonus, this zone includes the granite domes of the Cochamó Valley.

Zona Austral

Zona Austral is a premier destination for Ecotourism and Adventure travel. It features countless islands and islets, a maze of steep-sided fjords and channels, large glaciers and icefields and exuberant unspoilt temperate rainforests. Turbulent rivers descend from the Andes, chief of those being the Futaleufú River, which is widely considered one of the world's most challenging rivers for whitewater kayaking and rafting. Other opportunities for outdoor recreation, include hiking, cycling, sea kayaking and flyfishing.

Chiloé is characterized by having a rolling green countryside, but is better known for its peculiar wooden architecture and for its culture, which is full of myths and traditions. Also is remarkable its temperate rainforests.

The scenic Carretera Austral crosses or is nearby to many of the most popular destinations in this portion of Chile. Those include Pumalín Park, Yelcho Lake, Queulat National Park, Cerro Castillo National Reserve, General Carrera Lake and Caleta Tortel.

Laguna San Rafael National Park is the only park where visitors can contemplate at the same time the huge glaciers of Patagonia and the rich diversity of plants of the Valdivian Ecoregion.
Pío XI Glacier, one of the few advancing glaciers in the world, is a must-see in Chilean Inside Passage.

Torres del Paine National Park is the main attraction in Zona Austral and one of the most beautiful national park in the world.

The sprawling glaciers of the Cordillera Darwin, which is contained within Alberto de Agostini National Park, are reachable only by boat. Other typical destinations are Puerto Williams and Cape Horn.

Easter Island

Easter Island is world-renowned for its cultural and natural heritage.

Juan Fernández Islands

Juan Fernández Archipelago is also well known for its exceptional beauty.

References

External links

* [http://www.sernatur.cl National Tourism Service]